Probability of Success

History

2009-10: Murphy played for the U.S. NTDP U-17 team and the NTDP squad that played in the USHL. In 8 games for the U-17 team, he scored 1 goal. Murphy registered no points in 2 games for the USHL club. Murphy is the son of former NHL defenseman Gord Murphy.

2010-11: In 9 games for the U.S. NTDP’s USHL team, Murphy scored 3 goals and added 1 assist for 4 points. Murphy played for the USA’s gold medal team at the 2011 U-18 World Junior Championship, scoring 3 goals and adding 1 assist for 4 points in 6 games. Murphy has committed to Miami University for the 2011-12 season.

2011-12: After being selected by the Coyotes in the first round (20th overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft, Murphy backed out of his commitment to play college hockey at Miami, deciding to play junior hockey instead. He signed with Sarnia in July 2011 but his OHL debut with the Sting was delayed when he suffered a knee injury at the U.S. National Team Evaluation Camp that required surgery. Murphy signed a three-year entry-level contract with Phoenix in August 2011. He played his first game for the Sting at the end of November and made an immediate impact,. Murphy scored 8 goals (six on the Sting power play) with 18 assists, and was minus-three with 26 penalty minutes in 35 regular season games. Sarnia finished second in the West Division and in the six-game playoff series with Sarnia Murphy scored once (on the power play) in the six-game playoff series and was minus-two with 2 assists and 6 penalty minutes.

2012-13: Murphy got off to a strong start in his second OHL season with Sarnia before suffering a season-ending knee injury while playing for the USA in the gold medal game of the 2013 World Junior Championship. In 33 OHL games he scored 6 goals with 12 assists and was +14 with 32 penalty minutes. Murphy had 1 assist and was +5 with 2 penalty minutes in seven games at the WJC. The USA defeated Sweden, 3-1, in the gold medal game.

Talent Analysis

A rangy blueliner who is a very mobile skater, Murphy is still growing into his size and high potential. He is a smooth skater who gets around the ice and plays a smart, confident game with and without the puck. Plays with some good physicality and is very effective with a long reach and wing span.

Future

Murphy will begin his AHL career with Portland in 2013-14. Coming from Sarnia as one of the best blueliners in the OHL, Murphy will have his work cut out for him finding his spot in a loaded Phoenix defensive depth chart.

Photo: Chris Brown has been one of the top forwards for the Portland Pirates in 2013-14, which has earned him time with the NHL club (courtesy of Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

Legal squabbles between the Board of Trustees of Portland, Maine’s Cumberland County Civic Center and the ownership group of their primary tenant, the Portland Pirates, have relegated the team to the northern reaches of Maine for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, on the ice, the Phoenix CoyotesAHL affiliate finds themselves in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings.

Photo: Henrik Samuelsson is the leading scorer of one of the WHL’s most potent lines, combining with Curtis Lazar and Mitchell Moroz to the lead the attack for the Edmonton Oil Kings (courtesy of Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

Teams define themselves by U.S. Thanksgiving, according to conventional wisdom. This rule of thumb could apply to players, as well. By late November, there are no more predictions or expectations. Prospects are what their performance says they are.

Photo: Rookie pro Lucas Lessio broke camp with the Coyotes but was assigned to AHL Portland after three NHL games (courtesy of Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Phoenix Coyotes may have the most unbalanced prospect pool in the league. On defense, they have more legitimate players than places to put them. At forward, they may be forced to convert their young centers to address the scarcity of talent on both wings.

Photo: Coming off a strong rookie season for AHL Portland, defenseman Brandon Gormley remains the top prospect in the Coyotes organization (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

In 1995, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tie Domi knocked New York Rangers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson unconscious with a sucker punch that is still considered one of the dirtiest plays in recent NHL history. This year, their sons could be the ones connecting, on scoring plays rather than right hooks.

Photo: Rookie goaltender Mark Visentin, the Coyotes 27th overall pick in 2010, appeared in 30 games for the AHL’s Portland Pirates in 2012-13 (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

For the first time in four seasons, the Phoenix Coyotes missed the playoffs. After having their most successful postseason in franchise history, the Coyotes struggled to string wins together until it was too late. With a slew of young defensemen looking to make the jump to the next level, the Coyotes are in a position where a good forward can fall right into their laps at the 12th pick.